Chiyoyorozuyo Till the End of Time
by RanChan
Summary: Ranma left Nerima as a young boy, 10 years later, a mysterious girl transfers into Furinken High. From that moment on, everything changed for Akane. Expect some Out of Character. The End is drawing closer, let the drama begin. Chapter 10 up
1. Prologue Till the End of Time Pt 1

Prologue:

Till the End of Time, Part 1

"That cake looks so delicious!" A young boy, no more then seven years of age remarked as he looked at the spread on the table before him.

"Really? My mom helped me make it." A slightly older girl remarked. Her hair was long, fair of color, and her smile shown brightly of kindness. She blushed slightly and looked away from the boy, she was admittedly shy, especially when it came to compliments.

"Oh come on Kasumi, you were in the kitchen all day." Another girl responded. Her hair was darker, and much shorter. Her eyes seemed sharper, more intelligent, and the smirk on her face was cunning.

"Stop teasing her Nabiki." The youngest of the girls spoke up as she poked her dark haired sister in the side. "We all worked very hard for this, in fact, weren't you up all night making him a gift?"

"Well, uh, you see." Her voice trailed off as she looked at the ground and twiddled her fingers a bit.

"You know better then that Akane, Nabiki has no skill with such things. However, fear not, for I have come to her rescue." A young boy chuckled as he took a seat next to Nabiki and then handed her a small wrapped box, and set a second one on the table in front of him. "Fear not Nabiki Tendo, for I have bought the present you requested."

"I thought we'd all agreed to make him gifts, afterall, we may never see our dear friend again." The young boy replied to his friends as he straightened his bandana. "But then, that's just like Kuno, using money to solve his problems."

"I'm surprised you didn't lose your way coming here Ryouga." Kuno coughed slightly and looked away.

"Guys, guys, please. You didn't have to get me anything." The star of the day, he sat at the head of the table and looked at all the wrapped gift boxes, the feast, his friends, and simply smiled. His eyes then fell on Akane, and he quickly looked away as she did the same, both blushing slightly.

"Well, aren't you gonna open your presents Ranma?" A young girl with long, dark hair said as she poked her head into the room and set a small box in front of the boy.

"Y-yeah, ok Ukyo." He lifted the box, and slowly tore into it. He smiled slightly when he saw some homemade chocolate inside.

"You should open mine next." Ryouga pushed his gift towards Ranma with a smirk, and watched as Ranma pulled out a bandana that perfectly matched Ryouga's in every way except color, favoring red and blue instead of yellow and black. Ranma had no words to say and smiled towards Ryouga.

And so it went, Ranma opened each gift from each of his friends. From Nabiki, a scarf that had been bought at a retail chain, but still personalized with an "RS". From Kuno, a book of poetry, each one written as if done by one of the great samurai warriors of ancient Japan. Then there was Kasumi, though her gift had been on display from the moment they all arrived for the party. She had made the feast.

Then it came Akane's turn. She couldn't even look at Ranma as he opened the tiny box. In fact, she was teary eyed and on the edge of full out bawling as he did. Ranma looked into the box, and while he was about to say something, he found the words couldn't come. He pulled a small ring from the box, then looked at Akane blushing slightly. Again, he opened his mouth to speak, and again said nothing. He set the box down, and pulled a note from it, read it quietly, then stood and placed a hand on Akane's shoulder. "Ok, I promise."

Akane's tears stopped as she turned her head and looked up at Ranma, and for that moment time seemed to have completely stopped for both of them. She shot up to her feet and wrapped her arms around him, hugging him tightly. "Don't promise me Ranma, just, don't leave instead."

The entire room had hushed as Ranma pushed Akane away and smiled at her. "Don't worry. I have to go, but one day, I will come back, and I'll keep my promise."

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"Come boy, it's time to leave." An older, mostly bald man stood just inside the doors of the train and sighed. He'd promised his wife he'd make something of thier son, and return him home one day as a true man. He felt bad, taking the boy from his home, his friends, from everything he'd known for all seven years of his life, but this was something he felt had to be done for the sake of his child. "Say your last goodbyes Ranma. The train's about to leave."

Ranma nodded to his father, then turned to his friends, all of whom had come to see him off, except for Akane. He bowed softly to them all, and through teary eyes said his farewells. He turned as he straightened from his bow and slowly walked towards his father and the train.

As he boarded it, and the door started to close, he heard a familiar voice shouting from the stairway of the terminal. "Don't forget me Ranma! I promise I'll be the perfect bride when you come back."

Ranma paused, and turned around as the door shut, and started to cry as he saw Akane fall to her knees doing the same. Slowly the train began moving, and within moments, he could see all his friends move out of view. His father placed a hand on his shoulder, and spoke softly. "Go ahead my boy, let it all out for now. It's ok to cry in a situation like this. We may never return here my boy, and even if we do, everything could be different. Understand that my boy, it's the first step on your path to manhood."


	2. Chapter 1: The More Things Change

Chapter 1:

The More Things Change...

"Ten years, huh pops?"

"..."

"I can't believe it's been ten years now. It seems like an eternity since we left."

"..."

"I wonder if I'll get to see them again."

"..."

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As is oft to happen as time passes, people tend to either grow closer together, or dift apart. Those who have left often end up as faded memories, yet those who are still around end up closer then ever. Such was the case among one particular group of friends. Even among tightly knit groups of friends, some still manage to drift further, and others closer, and while thier friendships remained, they never remained unchanged.

Akane sighed as she slipped her left shoe on and looked at the young man in the doorway waiting for her. School had been long, and some things were inevitable. She was the target of affection from many classmates, and while she rather appreciated the sentiments, her heart was already with someone. That particular someone took her in his arms as she approached him, and kissed her softly. "R-Ryouga, what if someone sees us?"

"Let them Akane, I don't care. We shouldn't have to hide our love." He smiled slightly as he took her hand and turned away from the school. "Here, I'll walk you home."

Akane blushed as her eyes wandered to the ground, her hand absently tightening around his. In the years since Ranma had left Nerima, she had grown into a beautiful young woman. Childhood dreams had been replaced with the harshness of reality. Old habits fell to the wayside as things such as High School entrence exams took thier place. Eventually it all came to this. She was a 16-year-old High School student at Furinken High, she had fallen for her childhood friend Ryouga, and life was all-in-all generally good. She had her friends, her family, and her dreams. "Thanks Ryouga."

Things had gone well for Ryouga over the years as well. With Akane's help, he had overcome his lack of direction. He had worked hard in Middle School, and finally managed to attend the same high school as Akane, and several other friends of his. In fact he was well on his way to finishing the year as Valedictorian. He was the president of the martial arts club, vice president of the student council, and one of the more popular students at school. His pairing with Akane was nearly a match of the schools best, even if no one knew of thier relationship, outside a close-knit circle of friends. "But of course Akane. Actually, I was hoping we could take a short walk before I take you home. There were some things I wanted to talk to you about."

Akane remained silent, but nodded softly. Her hand gripped Ryouga's slightly tighter as she followed his lead. The sky was beginning to darken as the sun began to set, and the first streetlights slowly turned on.

The pair had eventually reached a park, and Ryouga sat Akane on a swing. He took a deep breath and looked into her eyes nervously. "For a long time Akane, ever since we were children, I, well..."

"What is it Ryouga?"

Ryouga clenched his fist as he reached into his pocket, then turned his head away and handed a small box to Akane. He didn't say anything for several moments as Akane took it, blushed heavily, then opened it slowly. She felt her heart stop, and then take off in a mad dash to sprint through an entire marathon. Her stomach knotted, and she could already feel her eyes starting to water. It was then that Ryouga's voice decided to work, and she heard his words. "Marry me Akane."

Time seemed to stop as she looked up at Ryouga slowly. The moment, the place, the person had all been perfect, even the ring was perfect. She took a moment, attempting to calm her body. Tears began to freely leave her eyes as she shot up from the swing and wrapped her arms tightly around Ryouga's neck, kissed him deeply then gave her response. "Yes, of course I'll marry you Ryouga!"

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"Class, we have a new student today. I'd like you all to welcome Ichijin Nodoka."

The young red-headed woman bowed her head slightly as she looked around the room. She'd been traveling for years, finding herself in new schools at least once a year, in some cases even two or three different schools a year. This time was different though, she'd graduate from this school. Her eyes fell on a couple of students, the only ones that seemed to catch her eye, the rest were all rather plain, ordinary, and unassuming.

"Nodoka has been traveling with her father for many years, please welcome her, and become friends. Tendo Akane!"

"Yes?" Akane stood up from her desk and looked at her teacher with a smile.

"Please take a seat at the open desk next to Akane, Nodoka. Akane, as the female class representative, I'd like you to show Nodoka around campus."

Nodoka quietly walked towards Akane, one of the three students whom her eyes had rested on longer then the others. She lowered her head bowing softly to Akane, then looking up at her and smiling. "I'm in your care."

Akane sat again as Nodoka did the same and class resumed. Akane's eyes fell on Nodoka who was staring off into space and out the window. There was something about the red-head, but Akane couldn't place it. The feeling was akin to familiarity, but at the same time, she swore she'd never seen the girl before.

Eventually class would end. Akane stood over Nodoka's desk as she looked up sleepily at the other girl. "Hurry up Nodoka, or we'll miss lunch, and there's a lot about this school I still have to show you."

Nodoka yawned slightly, then stood and smiled at Akane. Akane could feel it again, that same familiarity, but she couldn't place it, she simply passed it off as she led the other girl towards the school's cafeteria. Nodoka quietly followed, seeming almost shy, timid, things Akane wasn't exactly used to among her female classmates and friends.

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Most of the day passed rather uneventfully, as Akane showed Nodoka the campus, classes resumed and let out, and finally students were dismissed for the day. Akane again stood over Nodoka's desk and smiled at the girl. "I know it's probably hard being a new student in a new school, would you like to be friends?"

Nodoka looked up at Akane and nodded slightly. "I'd like that."

Akane almost swore she saw a slight blush, but passed it off as her imagination. "Well, me and some of my friends are going to karaoke, would you like to come with us?"

"That would be nice, yeah." Nodoka stood up and smiled.

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Six people filled into the booth at the karaoke bar, among them, some familiar faces which included Ryouga, Akane, Ukyo, all from the same class as Nodoka, and then Kuno and Nabiki from the year above. Ryouga was the first to take the mic and began singing a song while the rest enjoyed the surroundings.

Akane leaned closer to Nodoka and chuckled slightly. "We don't get together often like this, with college entrence exams coming up, but, days like this are nice. It's just like when we were kids. All of us would hang out together." Her face turned a little downward at that point. It had still been ten years since she'd last seen Ranma, since any of them had. At first there had been letters weekly, then they slowed to once a month, then every three months, and finally they stopped all-together. When the letters stopped completely, it affected Akane the most. It was almost a year after that when Ryouga had confessed to her, and still another six months before she accepted.

"It must be nice, growing up with your friends. I had a group like this once, before I started traveling with my father." Nodoka sighed. "We had a sad farewell party, but they each gave me gifts to remember them by."

"Things like that happen though, we had a friend when we were children who had to move away. He was such a nice boy, I wonder what happened to him." Akane shrugged slightly.

Ryouga's song ended, and he sat next to Akane, then turned her head and kissed her softly. Nodoka turned away.

--------------------------------------------

"So, you live around here?"

"Yeah, I live about three blocks from here." Nodoka smiled as she waved her farewells to Nabiki and Kuno who walked off arm-in-arm, then looked back at Akane. "You have some nice friends."

"Thanks, they all seem to like you too, you should spend more time with us." Akane smiled then waved to Ryouga as he too went his own way home.

"I'd like that, I haven't really had many real friends since I was a child."

"Well, if you'd like, I still have time before I have to be home, wanna go shopping with me?" Akane smiled widely as she saw a slight giggle escape Nodoka's lips. "I take it that's a yes."

Ten minutes later the two were in a small clothing outlet within the local department store. "Oh come on Nodoka, this dress would look so cute on you, much better then that Chinese outfit you're wearing."

"I don't like dresses."

"Please, at least try it on for me"

Nodoka sighed and slowly reached for the dress. "Ok, but you owe me for this."

"I'll treat you to lunch tomorrow to make up for it."

Several minutes passed while Nodoka changed her clothes, and eventually she'd step out of the dressing room. "So, how does it look on me Akane?"

Akane looked at Nodoka with a smile, though her gaze froze at Nodoka's neck. On a chain around her neck was a small golden ring with a deep purple crystal flecked with red spots. Akane recognized the ring almost immediately. Her face went pale, her body mostly limp, and slowly but surely, her right hand covered her mouth.

"Is it that bad?"

Akane shook slightly, as eventually her partial trance was broken. She slowly shook her head and turned around." N-no, it's fine. I, I just remembered something, I have to go." Akane ran out of the store, leaving Nodoka behind, staring in wonder.


	3. Chapter 2: Till the End of Time Pt 2

Chapter 2:

Till the End of Time, Part 2

"Ten years, huh pops?"

"..."

"I can't believe it's been ten years now. It seems like an eternity since we left."

"..."

"I wonder if I'll get to see them again."

"..."

"Are you gonna say anything?"

"Ranma, I've been thinking since we got back to Japan.What will you do if you see your friends again?" The elder Saotome male stood just over his son's shoulder and looked down at him with a heavy face.

"I'll explain everything to them."

"You've grown pretty comfortable with that body then, have you? Still, it's no good. Do you really think that any of them will see you as you are now, and see that boy you were back then?"

"I'm still the same person, I mean sure, I've changed a lot, everyone changes."

"But not the way you did. Do you really think your old friends, or anyone will believe that you, coming to them as a beautiful young woman, were once the happy young boy they once knew?"

Ranma sighed and turned around, looking at her father. "I, I guess you have a point. But what am I supposed to do?"

"Ranma doesn't exist anymore, until we can find a way to get you back to normal, Ranma is dead." Genma cleared his throat a bit and looked his now daughter over with a sigh. "You're the spitting image of your mother when she was your age. Hmmm, perhaps that could work."

"Pops?"

"From this day on, you'll go by Ichijin Nodoka, it was your mother's maiden name. Under the circumstances, I'm sure she'll understand." Genma chuckled slightly, then placed his hand on Ranma's shoulder. "Let's go home son, your mother will be happy to see you again, despite all that has happened.

--------------------------------------------

It had been a long meeting with her mother, but after several hours of crying, discussion, yelling, and several other things, including a heartfelt reunion and a loving mother-daughter bonding session, Ranma's mother came to understand the circumstances. Genma had left Japan again, this time to find a cure for Ranma, while Ranma stayed behind with her mother. Nodoka Saotome was a very caring, gentle woman, and she had suggested Ranma stay with her while Genma searched the cure himself. Ranma had protested, but after some soothing words from her mother, came to agree with them.

Ranma, finally accepting the days events, and known now by her mother's name, headed out into the evening for a walk, to sort her thoughts and collect her feelings about what was going on. Her life had undeniably taken a change, and despite all that had happened, it was far less traumatic then she had earlier imagined.

She arrived at a park she had played at with her friends often when she was a child. It was nice to see that while many buisinesses had altered, parts of the town had remained unchanged in her ten year absence. Even the tree she always climbed was as tall as ever, though it had shown some new growth, as Ranma could see branches that hadn't been there in her memory.

Ranma took to the branches, she had always climbed that tree to escape, to settle her mind and collect her thoughts. It had been a comfort zone. Finally reaching her old favorite perch, and seeing a familiar groove she had carved into the trunk as a child, she settled and leaned against the trunk to relax.

Several minutes later, she heard voices below her. Being ever curious, she sat up slightly, and leaned over another branch to examine what was happening below her. She could make out the two forms clearly, one was a beautiful young girl with long almost jet-black hair, the other a boy in a yellow shirt, and brown-green pants, wearing a familiar bandana. Ranma recognized his old friend Ryouga almost immediately, he hadn't changed a bit, still wearing the same bandana. Ranma smiled a bit, seeing that her old friend appeared to have a beautiful girlfriend.

"What is it Ryouga?"

Ryouga clenched his fist as he reached into his pocket, then turned his head away and handed a small box to the girl. He didn't say anything for several moments as she took it, blushed heavily, then opened it slowly. Ranma watched as the girl froze briefly, and could see the sparkle in her eyes as tears welled. It was then that Ryouga's voice decided to work, and she heard his words. "Marry me Akane."

Ranma froze in time watching the scene unfold beneath her. That name, it couldn't be the same Akane, but at the same time, she knew that it had to be the same girl, the one who had promised to be the perfect bride. She reached a hand to her chest and clutched an unseen object beneath her shirt as she felt the tears well in her eyes. Ranma could feel her chest tighten as her heart tried to keep from breaking. Akane looked happy, Ryouga looked happy, they had been her best friends, she should be happy for them. Still, that promise from thier childhood, the promise Ranma had cherished since they day she made it. She felt as if thousands of daggers had pierced her heart.

Akane took a moment, attempting to calm her body. Tears began to freely leave her eyes as she shot up from the swing and wrapped her arms tightly around Ryouga's neck, kissed him deeply then gave her response. "Yes, of course I'll marry you Ryouga!"

--------------------------------------------

Ranma drug herself back into the Saotome family home, her mother greeting her, then freezing at the look on her daughter's face. Ranma's face was stained with tears, and no sooner had she taken her shoes off then she began to collapse. Nodoka caught her and gently settled to her knees with Ranma's head in her lap. She didn't ask anything, she didn't have to, it was a mother's instinct that told her all she had needed to know.

Night slowly faded into day, and Ranma was awoken in a familiar bed she had used for years as a child. The small comforts were the ones she cherished the most since returning home. Her own bed, her own room, even her mother's face was a comfort she hadn't felt in years. She sat up, stretched, stood, then dressed quickly.

She slowly traveled from her room to the kitchen and took a seat at the dining table as her mother served a traditional breakfast. Another comfort Ranma had missed over the years. The seared salmon looked delicios, the rice was steaming and fresh, and even the miso soup smelled of a mother's love for her child. Tears welled slightly in Ranma's eyes as she smiled up at her mother and began to slowly dig into the meal. Eating slowly had become a luxery on her trip with her father. However, being home again, even if her father were there, she could take her time and enjoy a delicious homemade breakfast.

After breakfast was served, eaten, and cleaned up after, Nodoka handed Ranma a sheet of paper. "You need to hurry Ranma, I mean Nodoka. I've taken care of most of the admissions, but you still need to take this form in, and meet with the principle at Furinken high."

"Thanks mom."

"And Ran... Nodoka, remember, this is a new start for you, a new life. Treat it as such, and leave your past behind you." The elder Nodoka smiled at Ranma and hugged her before watching Ranma run off towards her first day at school, at a semi-normal life.

Ranma smiled slightly, and ran, with her right hand clutched against her chest, holding a small, unseen object beneath her shirt. "That's right, this is a new life, a fresh start. Somehow, I'll find my own happiness."


	4. Chapter 3: Is This Feeling Love

Chapter 3:

Is This Feeling Love

Akane sat quietly in her room. Both Nabiki and Kasumi had seemed slightly concerned for her, she had skipped dinner, and been locked in her room ever since she got home from spending more time with Nodoka. They had both assumed that something had happened during the shopping trip, but neither knew what it was. While the older Tendo sisters discussed what might have happened, Akane stared at a ring, one that she had saved for several years now. "It can't be, Ranma was a boy, Nodoka's a girl. It's just a coincidence."

She traced the circumfrence of the ring with a finger, remarking on how similar the ring was to the one Nodoka had. In fact, the rings were virtually identical in every way. Akane sighed and shook her head. It had to be a coincidence. It's not like that pair of rings was completely unique, was it? That had to be it, Akane had decided. There was no way it was the same ring. "She probably thinks I'm rude, running away from her like that."

Akane took a deep breath, comparing her ring to the memory of Nodoka's. Even then, she still doubted her conclusion, there were other things about Nodoka that almost felt familiar. Her appearence, her smile, even just being around her. It all felt so familiar to her. As she lost herself in her thoughts, she heard a knock on her door, and snapped back to reality, quickly putting her ring back in her memory box. "Who is it?"

"Are you ok in there Akane?" A familiar male voice asked. "Kasumi called and said you were acting strange, I hurried over."

Akane slowly approached the door, then opened it and looked at Ryouga with a smile. "I'm fine Ryouga, why wouldn't I be?"

"Kasumi had said you locked yourself in your room when you came home, she's just worried about you." Ryouga wrapped his arms around Akane and pulled her into a tight hug. "And I was worried too, hearing about it."

"Oh Ryouga... I'm fine, really, I just, I had some things on my mind." She couldn't tell him, the entire idea seemed silly to her, and in fact, she couldn't believe she'd thought it. Ryouga would probably laugh himself sill to learn he had such a dummy for a fiance.

"Well, since I'm here Akane." He smirked and pushed her bedroom door closed.

--------------------------------------------

Akane smiled as she looked over at Nodoka. "No, really, I'm so sorry about yesterday, I suddenly started to feel ill."

"It's ok Akane, you had me worried." Nodoka returned the smile.

Akane remarked to herself how comforting it was. That theory in her mind still bubbling near the surface nearly had her ask the burning question, but she suppressed it and settled for one that was a little less obvious then 'are you Ranma' might have sounded. "Uhm, that ring you wear around your neck, where'd you get it?"

"Oh, uh, well, uhm, it's something my mother gave me, a long time ago." Nodoka replied to the question nervously, and grasped at the ring beneath her shirt.

"Oh, I see, I just thought, no, nevermind. I have one just like it at home, that's all." Akane seemed to buy Nodoka's excuse, though it still left doubt in her mind.

Ryouga slowly made his way into the classroom, he was still early, an improvement over his usual. It had all been thanks to Akane that he developed a sense of direction. He immediately headed towards Akane and Nodoka and sat on Akane's desk. "I can't believe I'm early, I never knew people were here before class.

"Oh silly, you've gotten so much better at finding your way Ryouga, I'm so proud of you." Akane chided him, half jokingly, then looked back at Nodoka.

The red-head had turned her head to look out the window. She didn't want to see Ryouga and Akane together, and she was anything but confrontational, instead, she chose to ignore them.

"So anyways Akane, would you mind if I come over again tonight?" Ryouga smiled slightly as he looked Akane over.

"Ryouga..." Akane blushed a bit and looked at her desk. "You know we can't do that all the time, what if my dad catches us?"

Nodoka stood up and walked behind Akane's desk heading towards the classroom door. "Excuse me."

Akane paused a bit and looked at Nodoka then back at Ryouga. Ryouga's eyes had also followed Nodoka. Something seemed a little off about the girl, and he realized almost instantly that thier conversation had seemed to make the girl jealous? No, it had to be little more then just discomfort. "What's her problem Akane?"

"I don't know."

--------------------------------------------

"Well Akane, maybe she's well, you know."

"Nabiki!" Akane turned in her chair and staired at her older sister who was laying upon her bed doing leg lifts. "How can you say that, maybe she was just embarassed hearing me and Ryouga talk about those things."

"Well, I dunno, she did keep watching you a lot last night at Kareoke. She does seem a little boyish and all." Nabiki lowered her legs and sat up to look at Akane.

"She was?"

"We all saw it, well, except for Ryouga, he was just as fixated on you as she was." Nabiki shrugged her shoulders and leaned back against the wall.

Akane thought for a moment, could she trust her sister with her theory. That thought vanished quickly, afterall, this was Nabiki the Ice Queen, come out with a crackpot theory to her, and by midnight the entire country would know what you had asked. Besides, there was still no way, Nodoka was a girl, Akane had seen her naked while changing for gym that day. There was no way Nodoka could be Ranma. "Maybe you're right, I don't know. What am I gonna do?"

"I dunno, maybe try talking to her, and let her down easy, unless you know, you're curious about the other side. No one would think differently of you if you tried it, and you've only ever dated one person."

"Nabiki!" Akane's face went bright red, there was no way she'ddo anything like that. Was there? Now that Nabiki had mentioned it, Nodoka was rather cute, and Akane had felt something strange about her ever since they met. She shook her head, banishing that thought. She loved Ryouga, didn't she?

"You're blushing dear sister." Nabiki chided almost playfully then stood up and patted Akane's shoulder. "Maybe you should give it a try, seems you kinda fancy this girl."

Akane glared at Nabiki as she left the bedroom then trapped herself in her thoughts again. What if Nabiki was right. She did feel a strange attraction to Nodoka, something she couldn't explain. That was compounded by the mystery about the girl, and that ring. Her theory didn't help much either. Akane grabbed her head and ruffled her hair vigorously, this line of thought just wasn't right. She loved Ryouga, didn't she? Or was he simply a replacement for Ranma?

Akane sighed a bit. "Why am I thinking about Ranma now?"

--------------------------------------------

"I'm kinda surprised you called me out like this Akane." Nodoka smiled a bit nervously as she looked around in the park. The meeting place was fairly secluded, and there weren't really any people around.

Akane was dressed fairly nicely, although she looked a bit sloppy possibly due to the nervous rush at which she got ready. Her face spoke volumes of how nervous she was as she looked at Nodoka. "W-well, I was wanting to apologize for the other day."

"But such a secluded place? It's almost like something you'd plan for a date."

Akane went bright red, she really hadn't thought things out all that well. No, she had to calm down, she was hear to try and figure Nodoka out. Or was it her own feelings she wanted to figure out, she wasn't sure anymore. "Would you like to go somewhere else?"

"I don't mind Akane, I'm just surprised is all." She giggled slightly and took a seat on the nearby bench a moment before Akane joined her. "I wonder what Ryouga would think, seeing us in a place like this, he'd probably get jealous or something."

Akane chuckled slightly in response, though her's had a slight nervous hint. She looked at Nodoka for a moment, then finally worked up the courage to ask what had been on her mind since her discussion with Nabiki a couple nights earlier. "You keep looking at me, a-are you gay?"

Nodoka blinked a bit and looked at Akane. "What?"

"Uhm, sorry sorry, I just blurted that out, it's just that the other night, you kept staring at me, and then the other day when Ryouga and I were talking, you seemed uncomfortable. If you're not, I'm sorry, I hope I didn't offend you." Akane blushed a bit more and looked away.

Nodoka also looked off in the opposite direction. "I know about you and Ryouga, whether I am or not it doesn't matter, you're engaged, I saw him propose."

"Y-you saw that?"

"I was in the tree above the slide, but that's besides the point. You looked so beautiful and happy then." Nodoka sighed and looked back towards Akane.

Akane had faced Nodoka as well, and without thinking leaned into the kiss and kissed her softly on the lips.


	5. Chapter 4: Different People

Chapter 4:

Different People

"You did what!?" Nabiki exclaimed just after she forced a sip of water down so as not to shower her sister, nor to choke on her own surprise. "I had no idea my little sister could be so bold."

"Nabiki! You said no one would think differently." Akane held her pillow tightly and pulled it closer to herself as she tried to bury her face in it.

"Well, look, I promise I won't tell anyone, Besides, you aren't the only one who's tried it." Nabiki thought for a moment, then smiled at Akane. "Besides, no one would believe it anyways. So, what happened after you kissed her?"

"Nothing, she pulled away, then smiled and shook her head. Then she told me to just stay true to my heart and Ryouga." Akane lifted her head from the pillow and sighed slightly. "And now I'm more confused then ever."

"Is that so? So, what are you gonna tell Ryouga?"

"I'm not going to tell him anything, and you aren't either, you promised. It's just, everything feels so akward around Nodoka, it's like she's someone else." Akane grabbed her head and ruffled her hair a bit in frustration.

"Did you feel anything?" Nabiki walked towards her sister's bed and sat next to her.

"I don't know how to explain that. There was something, but it felt distant, wrong, like it wasn't the right person."

"Don't worry so much about it Akane, it's probably just an experimental stage you're going through or something. You love Ryouga, we both know that, you're just experiencing something new, that's all. So, what are you gonna do now?" Nabiki smiled a bit and placed an arm on Akane's shoulder.

"I... I think I'm gonna pretend it never happened, things are just getting too wierd and complicated."

"If you think that's wise. I just hope you don't chase Nodoka off, she's a nice girl, and I'd hate to see you lose a new friend." Nabiki had always had a way with words around Akane. Despite her outward reputation as the Ice Queen, Akane had come to trust her sister when it really mattered, especially situations like this, where she wasn't sure how Kasumi would react. It had been like that the first time Ryouga had snuck into her room late at night too. She didn't know who to talk to, until Nabiki cornered her and forced a confession. Ever since, she'd bonded more with Nabiki, and trusted her with secrets she couldn't trust with anyone else. Usually, she gained as much blackmail material as she had given, the perfect balance to keep Nabiki's lips sealed.

Akane opened her mouth slightly, she wanted to share her theory, though it still seemed odd. She closed her mouth and sighed, even Nabiki probably wouldn't believe that one, and there were still limits to what she could safely share with her. "Thanks Nabiki, you've been a big help again."

"No worries there Akane, just remember, same price as always."

"Right, We'll go get ice cream after school tomorrow then, my treat, just try not to clean out my piggy bank again."

--

Akane stared at the empty desk next to her. It had been two days since she had that kiss with Nodoka, and still the girl hadn't been back to school. She felt a slight knot in her chest, wondering if she had done something wrong. Nodoka had hardly said anything else after the kiss, and there was a lot of akward silence, and now she was missing from class as well.

She had hardly noticed the bell had rung to end class, until Ryouga placed his hand on hers and smiled at her. "You sure seem spaced out today Akane, what's up?"

Her blank stare broke as she turned her head to Ryouga and looked up at him. "Nothing really, I was just wondering where Nodoka's been the last couple days."

"Yeah, I was wondering about her too, it's wierd for a new studant to go missing like that so soon after transfering in. Anyways, I was going to head over to the Okonomiyaki shop, you want to come with me? We haven't been out alone together in a while." He smiled slightly and offered his hand.

"Sure, that sounds nice." Akane stood up and kissed Ryouga. The haze in her mind cleared and everything felt right again, though deep down, something stirred in her heart screaming at her that something was still off. What it was, she had no idea.

--

Nodoka sat in bed, covered in heavy blankets and fighting off a cough. She had wanted to go to school that morning, but her mother wouldn't allow it. Two days straight and it seemed she'd likely be stuck in her bed at least another two with her cold.

At least the letter from her father had left her in slightly higher spirits. She'd started looking forward to his letters in the weeks since he'd left, it was actually nice to hear stories of his travels without actually sharing on those trips.

However, there was still the gloom she felt from missing school. She worried about Akane, especially since the last time she saw her, they had parted in a rather uncomfortable manner. She sighed as she picked up one of her old stuffed animals from her childhood, coughed a couple times, then hugged it tightly. "She probably thinks I hate her..."

--

Ukyo smiled and waved to Ryouga and Akane as they entered her fathers shop. She was alone behind the counter, as her father was upstairs perfecting a new sauce recipe that he had claimed came to him in a dream. Ukyo rather enjoyed having the shop to herself, the place was more peaceful, more quite, less like a battlefield. "Hey you two, the usual?"

Ryouga chuckled as he led Akane to the bar and helped her to be seated then sat next to her. He nodded to Ukyo. "You know us too well Ukyo."

Akane smiled at Ukyo, then leaned against Ryouga. Ukyo had been one of her closest friend's for years, and she'd procrastinated long enough in sharing the good news. She rested her left hand knowingly on the bar as Ukyo turned around to cook, and quietly waited for either the right moment, or for the chef to notice the ring.

They hadn't told anyone outside the Tendo family that they had become engaged, and except for Nodoka who had seen the proposal, only Kuno knew, and that was privelaged information gained by his relationship with Nabiki.

A few moments had passed, and Ukyo turned around, placing the Japanese pizza before the young couple. Akane smiled at her friend then raised her left hand a bit to flash the ring. "Actually Ukyo, there was something I wanted to ask you."

Ukyo stared at the ring, then to Ryouga, and then Akane smiling. "Oh my god Akane, congratulations, I was starting to wonder when you two would take that step."

Akane blushed as Ryouga attempted to ignore the ensuing girl chatter by stuffing his face, that worked for several minutes until the conversation died down a bit. "Anyways Ukyo, I, I want you to be my Maid of Honor."

"Really? So, you're having a western style wedding then? Funny, I always pictured you as the more traditional type Akane. Yeah, I'd love to." Ukyo chuckled slightly.

The young couple paid thier bill, and left the shop. After a moment of walking, Ryouga paused, and took Akane's hand. She stopped a half step past him, then turned to look at him. "What's the matter Ryouga?"

"It's nothing Akane, I just wanted tonight to be special."

"Why? What's so special about tonight?"

"It was this day, three years ago that I confessed to you. It was on this day, three years ago that I took my greatest chance, and I wanted to celebrate the great success that gamble has given to me." He smiled a bit, then kissed her softly.

It was as the kiss broke that she felt a strangely shaped object in her hand. She raised it up and looked at it, to realize it was a key. Words didn't come to her as she quietly stared at it, there were many possibly implications for a key, the most likely being a room at the love hotel, but she'd known Ryouga for a long time, and that simply wasn't his style. "What is this?"

"I, I've been working hard for the last several months, and I finally saved enough money with Nabiki's help. I know we're both still in High School, but, I got an apartment, and, I'd like for you to move in with me."

Akane blinked, she didn't know what to say. Ryouga had grown up a lot in the last few years, but she'd never been sure to what extent. To see him already providing them, as a couple, a home, she was nearly to tears. "I, I will Ryouga!" She flung her arms around him and held him tightly.


	6. Chapter 5: Till the End of Time Pt 3

Chapter 5:

Till the End of Time, Part 3

The young girl sighed as she looked around the cafeteria. All the other tables were full but hers, and all the other children had friends. It wasn't unusual, she was the new girl afterall, and she was rather timid and shy about approaching others. There was one group in particular that she was interested in however. Most of the kids were her age, but there were a couple first graders, and a third grader sitting with them as well. She smiled slightly to see some of the older kids in that group.

She turned away, wishing and dreaming wasn't going to change the fact that she was in a new place, with new people, and no friends. She was simply a five-year-old child displaced from everything she had known. She opened her lunch box, okonomiyaki again. It had been her favorite meal, if only because her father rarely ever cooked anything else.

She sat there staring at it for a moment, deciding whether or not she really wanted it. She almost wished she had someone to trade with, that or that her father would make a traditional bento box.

"Excuse me."

The girl looked up. Standing across the table from her was a young boy with a short black pigtail, smiling widely at her. She blushed slightly, he had been part of the group she had been focused on a moment earlier. "H-hi."

"You look lonely over here, want to come eat with me and my friends?"

The girl nervously looked away, then back at the boy with a smile. "Sure."

"I'm Ranma, what's your name?"

"U-Ukyo."

"Nice to meet you Ukyo, I'm sure we'll be great friends."

--

Ukyo looked around her father's shop. She'd been running it every day after school, ever since her father fell ill. It had been a day since she'd seen Ryouga and Akane in there on a date, but still, the jealousy wouldn't quite go away. She had been thier friend for many years, and could easily count them both as some of her best friends. Still, it didn't change the fact that she had never so much as even been on a date. Everyone else was in a relationship. Nabiki had Kuno, Ryouga had Akane, even Kasumi seemed to have something going on with a local doctor.

It wasn't even that they were happily in relationships, she had never even been in one. It wasn't that there hadn't been opportunities though, most of them came recently. She simply didn't have time for them anymore, not while she ran the okonomiyaki shop for her father.

She let her thoughts gather, then put them away as another of her friends walked into the shop. At least with her, she felt as if she wasn't alone. The new girl, Nodoka, she was still single, and didn't appear to be interested in anyone, well, not too interested anyways. "Hey Nodoka, nice to see you."

"Ukyo? You work here?" Nodoka smiled as she approached the counter with a smile, and took a seat.

"Yeah, kinda. My father owns this shop, I've been running it for him since he fell ill."

Nodoka smiled and watched as Ukyo cut some cabage for a batter. "It's nice that you're helping him. Think I could get one with pork?"

Ukyo chuckled slightly as she started cooking. She prided herself as the second best okonomiyaki chef in all of Japan, giving her father the distinction as first. She'd always had great respect for him, and had always strived to be just like him one day.

Nodoka however noticed something in Ukyo's expression as she watched the other girl cook. She could clearly see the mix of emotions, despite the mask of happiness that Ukyo was wearing. "Hey, uh, Ukyo. What's the matter?"

Ukyo paused and looked at Nodoka a bit confused. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're smiling, but it seems hollow, like you're somewhere else." Nodoka shrugged a bit. "I don't know, you just seem a little upset about something, that's all."

"It's nothing, really. Oh, did you hear? Ryouga and Akane are getting married. They came in here yesterday and Akane asked me to be her Maid of Honor."

"Is that so? So, they decided on a Western style wedding then." Nodoka smiled slightly, then looked to the ground and sighed. "Actually, I was kinda there when Ryouga proposed, it was just a coincidence, it was before I met any of you."

"Figures, I'm always the last to know."

"You're a little jealous of them, aren't you?"

"What? I am not! Aren't you the jealous one? You did hesitate a little when I brought it up."

"Yeah, I am a little, but so are you, I can tell." Nodoka smiled slightly as Ukyo placed the okonomiyaki in front of her.

Ukyo looked Nodoka over, then noticed a ring hanging from her neck just above her breast. Something distant seemed to flicker in Ukyo's mind, something familiar, but at the same time, she wasn't sure what it was. "That's a nice ring, where's it from?"

"Oh, that old thing?" Nodoka sighed and put her chopsticks down with a sigh. "It's nothing, I just found it in a little trinket shop in Kyoto."

Ukyo shrugged a bit. She didn't exactly believe Nodoka, but she felt it rude to pry too much. She had only met the girl just recently, and they weren't all that great of friends. Well, not yet, she hoped they could be good friends. She watched Nodoka for a moment as she stepped back from the bar to go about some cleaning and preparations for the shop. Finally, the silence got to be a little too much for her, so she changed the subject. "I overheard Ryouga last night, asking Akane to move in with him. Isn't that great for them?"

"Yeah, it's great."

--

"You're okonomiyaki really is the best Ukyo!"

"Th-thank you Ranma." Ukyo blushed as her father chuckled. It had been almost a year since she had moved to Nerima and everything had been great, she had many friends, she was enjoying school, and she had fallen in love with cooking again.

She watched the young boy at the counter as he ate the okonomiyaki she had cooked with much gusto. He had been the first person to approach her when she moved to Nerima from Osaka, and she could easily count him as her best friend. She wanted to tell him that she liked him, more then that, but she couldn't, she knew he was more interested in Akane.

"I could eat this every day Ukyo."

She smiled slightly, she wore her mask of happiness as she went about cooking a second okonomiyaki for Ranma.

Ranma watched her carefully for a moment then put his chopsticks down. "Hey, what's wrong Ukyo?"

Ukyo paused a moment, then slowly turned at Ranma and looked at him confused. Her father had gone into the back to work on one of his sauce recipes, leaving the two children alone. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you're smiling, but it seems hollow, like you're somewhere else." Ranma shrugged a bit. "I dunno, you just seem a little upset about something, that's all."

--

Ukyo froze as she was making some noodles for her okonomiyaki, then slowly turned and looked at Nodoka. The red-headed woman was wearing a pigtail, one that seemed very much like that of a boy she had known so long ago, that ring she wore the spitting image of the one Akane had given him when he left. Her personality, and her mannerisms, even so far as the way she spoke to Ukyo, they were all the same.

Ukyo set the unfinished noodles down, then walked towards the counter as Nodoka had finished eating. She hesitated a moment as she picked the plate up, then set it back down with a slight sigh as her eyes began to water. "Th-that's not funny Ranma."

Nodoka looked up at Ukyo, almost in shock, but said nothing for a moment. She then looked away and sighed. "When did you figure it out."

"Just now, we had an almost identical conversation almost eleven years ago. What happened?"

"It's a long story Ukyo. But, Ranma doesn't exist anymore, alright? Please, don't tell anyone Ukyo, They're all so happy, I don't want to ruin that for them, let them keep thier memories of Ranma, and let me be Nodoka, ok?"

Ukyo nodded slightly, Ranma had always been able to tell her things he could never tell the others, secrets only the two of them had shared. She quietly placed a hand on Nodoka's shoulder and smiled at her genuinely. "It's a promise."


	7. Chapter 6: Lucid Dreams

Chapter 6:

Lucid Dreams

"You're doing what?"

"Come on dad, you like Ryouga. I mean, we're planning to get married, why shouldn't I move in with him?" Akane glared at her father, this was a match she intended to win. In fact, she'd never actually intended to have this match in the first place. She'd expected her father to simply allow her to move in with her fiance, no questions asked, but his reaction had gone completely differently.

"Absolutely out of the question." Soun had to stand firm in his convictions. "What would your mother think?"

"What would my mother think, hmmm? You and her were both younger then I am now when you eloped." She'd hoped she wouldn't have to play that card, but apparently it was a necesary one.

Her father paused and sighed. That had taken some of the wind out of him, and he had to pause to think for a moment. "Well yes, yes we were, but that was a different time, things were different. Still, that doesn't change my answer. At least do your father a favor and wait until after the wedding, you are both still in High School, what would people think?"

"I'm going to live with him dad, whether you agree to it or not. I want you to give our love your blessing."

"You know I do Akane, it's just..." Soun sighed a bit as he watched his daughter. It was hard for him to watch her grow up, and she reminded him so much of her mother, down to the temper. He put his right hand to his face, an attempt to regain his composure, and finally he turned away from her. "Very well Akane, even if I tried to stop you, you'd do what you want, you really are so much like your mother. Just promise you'll come visit often."

"Thanks dad!" Akane threw her arms around her dad's neck hugged him tightly and kissed his cheek.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"So, you figured out everything with you and Nodoka then?" Nabiki was lying on Akane's bed, her head dangling over the edge as she looked up at her sister. She'd been a little concerned when she heard Akane wanting to move out, especially after the start of the arguement with thier father.

"No, not really, but that doesn't matter does it? I have Ryouga, I'm happy. Dwelling on what ifs will only cause problems." Akane was sitting backwards in her chair watching her sister do leg-lifts, a slight blush across her cheeks. "Besides Nabiki, we're both girls, and it's just wierd, ok?"

Nabiki almost chuckled as her legs hit the bed and she rolled over, then propped her chin up in her hands as her elbows rested upon the mattress. "My my little sister, you're blushing. Come now, I know you better then anyone, it's tearing you up inside to leave things unresolved, isn't it."

"It's not like it matters, I haven't seen her since the other day, she hasn't been to school or anything. She probably hates me." Akane sighed and looked away.

"Is that what this is about then? You're afraid she hates you cause you tried a little experiment, and haven't seen her since. She's probably been sick or something, I doubt she hates you, at least, if I judged her right by the way she was looking at you." Nabiki smiled and stood from the bed, then wrapped her arms around Akane. "You're thinking too much Akane, maybe you should wait a couple days before moving in with Ryouga, you know, make sure you're sure about this. Living with someone's a huge commitment, I mean I still haven't agreed to live with Kuno you know."

"It's not just that Nabiki." Akane sighed as she pushed away from her sister slightly, stood, and then looked out the window. "I don't know why, but I can't stop thinking about that girl, she reminds me so much of Ranma."

"Wait a second, what?" Nabiki spoke out rather startled, she definately hadn't expected that. "Yeah, I guess there are a few similarities, but come on Akane, they're really nothing alike. It's almost like you're looking for ways to sabotage things with you and Ryouga now. Didn't you just say you were happy?"

"I am, I really want to be, it's just... I've been so confused since that first day we met that girl. I guess you didn't see it, but she wears a ring around her neck, it's identical to the one I gave Ranma." Akane was almost ready to break into tears, but something made her hold them back. She'd already said more to Nabiki then she'd intended, but at least her sister hadn't gone into her Ice Queen persona yet.

"So, what, you trying to make her into Ranma? That's not possible Akane, you and I both know that. It's probably just a coincidence. Remember, I helped you pick those rings out, there were several just like them." She placed a hand on Akane's shoulder and tried to comfort her sister.

"I, I guess you're right Nabiki." She sighed and stared out into the night sky again. "But what if she knows Ranma, what if he's the one who gave her the ring?"

"So what if he did? It's been ten years since he left, you've moved on, he probably did too. If he knows her, big deal, you have Ryouga." Nabiki shook her head. "I know what you're thinking Akane, 'Maybe I'll ask her about it.' I wouldn't, but you'll probably do it anyways. Just, make sure you do it carefully, I don't want to see you getting hurt, ok?"

Akane turned around and looked at Nabiki again, then smiled slightly. "Thanks Nabiki, you've been a big help, again."

"Of course, I'm charging double tomorrow."

"Thief!" Akane stuck her tongue out as she chased her sister from her room.

----------------------------------------------------------------

Nodoka looked around the classroom. She'd gotten there early today, the first time in almost four days that she'd been to school, and for some reason, it felt odd that the room was so empty. She'd felt differently since Ukyo figured out who she was, but that didn't bother her. She'd always had a special kind of friendship with her, and was glad that she could see the real her. Still, hearing about more details between Ryouga and Akane, that bothered her. She had already accepted that Akane had moved on, that she wasn't in a place to do anything, but still, it gnawed at her for some reason.

Her biggest fear still remained though. She still had to face down Akane at some point. There was that kiss, and letting Akane down the other day, then there had been missing of several days of class. To top everything off, she'd heard about Akane and Ryouga's plans to move in together. She'd given up crying about it, she knew that wouldn't change anything, she didn't even understand why it bothered her. "Dammit! It's not fair! Why do I have to feel like this?" She slammed her head on the desk an sighed. She had the good fortune that no one else was in the classroom yet.

A few moments passed and another student would enter, Nodoka sighed and looked away, her luck obviously hadn't improved recently. She wasn't ready to face Akane yet, and that was precisely the person who had appeared. Akane too looked a bit nervous, but walked straight to Nodoka's desk. "Uhm, excuse me."

Nodoka looked up at Akane, and though she wanted to smile, her face betrayed the turmoil she felt. "First off, I didn't skip school because I was avoiding you, if that's what you want to know."

Akane paused, something about Nodoka seemed a bit colder then usual. Sure, there were several things that had happened between them, but that was no excuse. She sighed slightly. "Actually, it's about the ring you wear around your neck. Did you get it from someone named Ranma?"

Nodoka's heart skipped a beat as she looked Akane over with a serious face. A pained expression filled her as she looked away. "I, I don't want to talk about this." She stood from her desk and ran from the room, her arm over her eyes to cover up the tears.

Akane sighed and sat down at her desk as Nodoka left the room. She shook her head and sighed as well. Obviously that was a touchy subject.


	8. Chapter 7: Unlimited Desire

Chapter 7:

Unlimited Desire

"Nodoka you idiot. Why did you run away from her in tears like that?" Nodoka looked into the mirror and sighed, she hadn't expected Akane to ask about Ranma, at least not like that. She might have reacted better had Akane asked her if she was Ranma, she could have laughed it off like some joke. Now she'd made it seem like something completely different. Akane was a bright girl, she'd probably assume something was up.

"Yeah Ran-chan, why did you run away in tears?" A familiar voice sounded off from the door.

Nodoka paused and looked away from the mirror towards a familiar face. "I, I told you not to call me by that name Ukyo, what if someone heard you?"

"Couldn't help it, you know. Fine then No-chan, why did you run in here in tears?" Ukyo had leaned against the wall of the bathroom to watch the redhead.

"I really don't know myself. Akane mentioned Ranma, and I guess I paniced." Nodoka looked away, then looked into the mirror again. "I don't know if I can handle this anymore. I keep telling myself I'm happy for her, that I want her to be happy, but every time I see her and Ryouga, it's like a knife is twisted deep inside."

"Why is that? You were gone for ten years, you really shouldn't even be dwelling on it. We were kids back then." Ukyo had pushed away from the wall and stood behind Nodoka, then wrapped her arms around the girl. "We all grew up and moved on, you seem to be the only one still in the past."

"I guess I never really let go of that promise we made. You remember how my father was, always preaching about family honor and the likes? I made a promise, even back then, as a man. I don't think I could turn away from it." Nodoka leaned back slightly into Ukyo's arms and fought back another wave of tears. "But look at me, I'm not even a man anymore. The person I was is dead, a memory to all of my friends."

Ukyo let go of Nodoka and turned away with a sigh. "Look, it's all in the past, right? You can't change what's already happened." Ukyo took a moment to pause, finally she had come to a conclusion and turned back around to face Nodoka, then removed the ribbon she'd always worn in her hair, letting it all fall freely to her back. "Besides, I see you now, as I saw you then." She took a step forward as Nodoka had turned to face her, then placed her lips to the girl's.

Nodoka stood there for a moment in shock then pushed Ukyo away. "What are you doing Ukyo?"

Ukyo took a deep breath and turned away from Nodoka with a long sigh. "I know this seems sudden, but I've always thought about you, ever since you left. Seeing you again, knowing who you really are, I still see the same person I admired back then. Sure, you've changed, we all have, and yes, you more then anyone else... No-chan, I. I love you." Ukyo closed her eyes to hold back tears, she'd wanted to tell her that for so long, and now that she'd said it, she felt as if she'd signed her own death warrent.

"Ukyo.... I don't know what to say."

"Don't say anything then, I never could say it before, you only saw Akane, and I was fine with that. I was happy with you being happy, but you aren't now, and Akane is lost to you." Ukyo choked back the oncoming tears, she had to fight with them, every step of the way to keep them from coming, she couldn't let Nodoka see her this weak, not now, not when she'd finally shown her best effort of strength.

"You're right... Akane's lost, she's marrying Ryouga. It still hurts though, and I don't know why. I wanted her to be happy, even if I had to let her go, I even expected this when I came back here. I planned to let her go, I knew I wouldn't be able to have her, even from the start." Nodoka took a deep breath and looked away from Ukyo again. "Even then, I was able to be her friend again, and that only complicated things. She kissed me Ukyo, a few days ago. I, I thought I was ok then, I pushed her away. Then you tell me she's moving in with Ryouga and suddenly.... Then today she even asks me about Ranma. I can't handle this, it's too much."

"Do you know why she asked?" Ukyo took a step towards Nodoka again, and this time grabbed the necklace she wore that held the ring. "You want her to find out, don't you? That's why you still wear this, even after she asked about it. Look, I can tell just by looking at you that she's asked about it before. Nodoka, you won't be able to give up on Akane until you let go of the past." She yanked at the necklace, which broke off into her hand.

Nodoka gasped then reached for the hand now holding her most treasured possession. "Give that back Ukyo!"

The two girls hit the floor and struggled for several minutes. The tussle finally ended when Ukyo managed to slide the ring over a drainage grate in the floor, where it fell in, out of Nodoka's reach. Nodoka broke away from Ukyo just as the ring vanished, and sat over the grate, staring at the ring she had treasured for so long. Tears began to fill her eyes, and she sobbed gently.

"This is for the better you know." Ukyo knelt behind the girl and rested her head against the red-head's back.

"Y-yeah..." Nodoka continued to cry for several minutes.

----------------------------------------------------------------

"Hey Akane!"

"Ryouga?" Akane slowly sat upright in her seat. Her eyes were a little red and she had a bit of a groggy demeanor to her. Hazily she glanced up at her fiance, she noted the look of concern in his eyes. "What's the matter?"

"You've been totally sapced out all day, what's wrong?" He placed a hand on her shoulder and stared into her eyes.

"It's that girl... She really is avoiding me. I saw her this morning, and she hasn't been back since she ran off." She layed her head back down on her desk and sighed.

"You just can't leave things alone, maybe it would have been better. Do you have any idea why she might be avoiding you?"

That was a loaded question if she'd ever heard one. Damn straight she knew. First there was the kiss a few days earlier, the kiss Ryouga would never find out about. Then there was the question about Ranma. She thought back to that question, and Nodoka's reaction. That really had been a strange reaction. "I have an idea, but I'm not exactly sure."

"If you don't want to tell me, I understand, but I'm on your side, just so you know." He patted her shoulder softly, then leaned closer and kissed her gently.

"Thanks Ryouga. Go home ahead of me, I'll come by your apartment after I finish up some things here." She stood up and stretched.

"Ok, I'll be waiting." Ryouga smiled a bit, kissed Akane one more time, then left the classroom.

This was Akane's day to clean up the classroom after school. She did her job readily, all the while letting her mind go over all the information she had. First, Nodoka had said the ring was just a trinket, something she happened to pick up. It was obvious Nodoka was attracted to her. Then there was the biggest mystery. The girl was almost completely crazy once the name Ranma was brought up. There had to be a connection there. Certainly if they'd dated in the past, Ranma might have given her the ring, but why would she run in tears at the mention of his name. Akane took a deep breath as she finished cleaning the chalkboard, and went about arranging the desks. Maybe they had to break up when she moved here, that might explain it, but that didn't solve everything. The more she thought about it, the more she realized she was back at square one.

She'd finally finished cleaning the classroom, and headed for Ryouga's. She'd just put her shoes on and headed for the courtyard gates when she overheard two familiar voices.

"Thanks for earlier Ukyo."

"Anytime No-chan. Look, about what I said this morning, I really do love you." Akane could see Ukyo's silouette move to embrace what she assumed was Nodoka.

"I know you do Ukyo." Again the silouette of Nodoka seemed to just stand there as Ukyo held her. It was then the two images seemed to merge in what Akane could only assume was a kiss.

Akane stepped back into the school and around a corner, in case the two passed by, she didn't want them to see her. She didn't know how she'd explain the tears falling from the corner of her eyes. She couldn't even explain it herself, all she knew was that her chest was tightening, and she felt like the world had ended.


	9. Chapter 8: Till the End of Time Pt 4

Chapter 8:

Till the End of Time Pt 4

Akane sat quietly against a wall in her family's dojo holding her hand to her chest. She hadn't gone to Ryouga's, and she didn't want to be in her room. She wanted to be alone right now, and this was the last place anyone would look for her. She knew Ryouga was likely to be worried sick about her, but she didn't care. Her chest still ached, a pain in her heart she couldn't explain, and she wanted to cry endlessly, for no reason she knew.

She tried to rationalize things in her mind. She hadn't actually seen the two girls kiss, only the appearence of shadows merging in what could have been a kiss. It could have been a hug as well for all she knew. Why did it matter what it was? She sighed and pulled her knees to her chest. That was the problem though, it did matter.

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Ryouga sighed as he hung his heads and aimlessly walked the streets of Nerima. It had grown cold, far colder then it ever got in Nerima this time of year, but the weather simply didn't phase him. It had been four hours now since Akane should have made it to his place, and yet after two she still hadn't arrived. It was around then he decided to go out looking for her. It's not that he worried for her safety, the girl was more then capable of taking care of herself, but he knew something was wrong.

Only twice before had Akane disappeared. The first was the morning Ranma had left. She had hid herself from friends and family, secluding herself for two full days before Ryouga had found her in a rundown old woodshed near the sea. At that time her eyes were all red and puffy, and her visage quite vacant. Ryouga knew she'd been crying there almost non-stop. He got her home safely, and gradually she recovered.

The second had occured two years earlier, the day of her mother's funeral. No one could really blame her at the time, but she'd worried them all. This time she managed to hide herself in a hole for nearly two weeks before it was Ryouga who found her. Her condition wasn't nearly as bad, it was obvious that she had taken to living a natural life in the cave she had holed up in, there were small animals that had been expertly trapped, cleaned, and cooked, but he could still see the emotional scarring deep inside that boiled near her surface.

He sighed deeply as he slammed his hand into a signpost. He couldn't begin to fathom what was wrong this time, There was nothing major that could affect her, unless something happened he didn't know about. There had been such a small window of time, no more then an hour, for anything to cause such pain to Akane's emotional state, that it seemed almost unreal.

"I can't believe it Ranma. So that's what happened?" Ryouga could hear a familiar voice inside the building to which the sign belonged. More then that, there was that name, that very familiar name. He wanted to burst in, to know what was happening, but discretion urged him to simply eavesdrop.

"I told you not to call me that Ukyo, what if someone we know hears you?" There it was, a second familiar voice. It took Ryouga a moment, and he wasn't quite sure of it, but it was definate that voice was female.

"Okay, I get it, you're Nodoka now." Outside Ryouga froze, he knew he'd heard something he shouldn't have, something impossible to believe.

"I can't say I'm happy with it, but, I've learned to cope. I mean it's not so bad being a girl, but I miss being myself."

"I guess I can kind of understand, but you are still yourself, the only thing that's changed is your body. I mean, even after all these years, you still treasured that ring." Ryouga poked his head towards the door, he could plainly see Nodoka and Ukyo. Ukyo was tenderly holding Nodoka's hands and staring into the eyes of the redhead who had a near sorrowful look on her face.

"Yeah, but that's over with, she's happy with Ryouga." Nodoka sighed and turned away from Ukyo.

"I wouldn't be too sure of that Ranma!" The door to the okonomiyaki shop burst open as a near fuming Ryouga entered and glared at the girls.

Nodoka and Ukyo's gazes both shot to the door, panic nearly filling thier faces. Some implications were obvious, such as the fact that Ryouga at least knew the truth. Others, such as figuring out how he discovered it, were less obvious, but easy to discern. Nodoka was the first to act as she looked to the table and heavily sighed. "What makes you say that Ryouga."

"Akane's missing... Something happened between the time I last saw her at school, and the time she left. I don't know what happened, or where she went, all I know is that she's really depressed, and that somehow Ranma, this is your fault." Ryouga clenched his fist as he looked on Nodoka and sighed.

"Wait a sec." Nodoka looked at Ukyo, realization dawning on her. "You don't think. She must have seen us together before we left campus."

"I don't see what difference that would make." Ukyo shrugged as she blew it off. What did it matter to her.

"It makes all the difference in the world. At least now I know why Akane was so drawn to you 'Nodoka'. Always talking about you, always afraid you hated her... This is your fault Ranma." Ryouga turned back to the door, he had to leave, before he did something he might regret later. He had to find Akane.

"Ryouga wait!" Nodoka stood up slowly and followed after him. "Please, let me help you. I'm the cause of this problem, right? I want to help, maybe I can fix things."

"She doesn't even know it's you, does she Ranma?"

"No, and I'd rather it stay that way." Nodoka gently placed her hand on Ryouga's shoulder and sighed heavily. "I... I still think about her all the time, but from what I've seen, she's happy with you. I couldn't think of anyone I'd rather be by her side Ryouga, afterall, you were my best friend."

Ryouga looked to the ground and sighed. He had to fight to hold back his tears, but he did so. For several seconds he said nothing, then started to move forward. "I don't want your help Ranma, I'll find her myself." He took several more steps, then paused. "I won't tell her, but you should."

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Nodoka sat quietly in her seat, class had been dismissed for the day, but everything was weighing heavily on her mind. Akane had been absent now for 3 days. She wanted to look for her, but she wouldn't, Ryouga wouldn't allow it. Instead she continued to sit there, staring off into space. She'd stay there till the school was closing, unwilling to move, and just wallowing in her own self-pity.

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Ryouga sat at the counter of the okonomiyaki shop staring at Ukyo before he finally sighed and spoke up. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

"That depends. In regards for finding Akane, no. But I know you're more worried about her relationship with you if Nodoka was the one to find her." Ukyo had been talking over her shoulder as she continued to cook for her friend. It was rare that Ryouga came to her for advice, but this was obviously something that only the two of htem were entitled to. "Look, Nodoka's let go of her, she wants to support you and Akane, even if that means watching from the side-lines."

Ryouga looked out the window. Three days had passed, and for some reason, he felt hopeless in his search for Akane. "I couldn't even compete."

"Hmm?" Ukyo turned and set a plate of fresh Yakisoba before Ryouga, before pressing the matter. "What do you mean by that?"

"If Ranma had come back, you know, as himself..." Tears formed in Ryouga's eyes as he lowered his head and clenched his hand tightly, snapping his chopsticks in half. "It's not fair! If he had come back as himself, This wouldn't even be an issue, and I'd be the one suffering alone. It's all his fault for hurting Akane!"

"Stop it Ryouga, there's no use blaming her, she didn't know it'd turn out like this, she wants what's best for you. You don't even know what would happen if she had come back as Ranma, so don't even start with that train of thought." Ukyo let loose a sigh of relief, it had been forever since she'd been able to tell Ryouga off for anything, and it felt good. Once she'd relieved herself of the steam, she sat down across from him and smiled a bit. "Just stop looking and let fate take you, like you used to, you'll find her Ryouga. Akane needs you, so drop the pity act."

"Thanks Ukyo."

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"Three days... I'm so pathetic, being jealous of her..." Akane sighed as she looked at the walls. No one had thought to look for her there, it was just like the other times. At least this wasn't as bad as the caves, there was food and water, and she could even sneak a bath if she felt like it. "Why, Why does it bother me seeing her with Ukyo. Why does it feel like I'm losing everything again?" She placed her head in her hands as the tears began to fall, she couldn't hold them back anymore, she didn't even want to try.


	10. Chapter 9: Turn the Page

Chapter 9:

Turn the Page

"I finally found you Ranma Saotome!"

Nodoka froze in place as she heard a voice that was very familiar, a voice she'd hoped she'd never hear again. It had been months since she'd last heard that voice, and the way it stabbed into her like a dagger was obvious. She stopped on the sidewalk, breathed in slowly and turned around cautiously, ready to defend herself should the need arise. "W-what do you want Mousse?"

The Chinese boy before her stood there smiling slightly, gazing at her through his glasses, as if he had the upper hand. His face was brimming with confidence, a feature she didn't recall it holding in thier last meeting. "I'm not hear about that Ranma, no need to be so uptight. I have a message from your father."

"What? You've seen pops?" She relaxed a bit, it had been nearly a month now since she'd last seen her father, and began her new life as Nodoka. As of yet, she'd heard nothing from him, no postcards, or even a phone call. She wasn't worried though, her father was a strong, powerful man, a man who had taught her nearly everything and had, despite some of his more idiotic moments on thier journeys, become her idol. "When? What'd he say?"

"Now now, why should I tell you Ranma? After the greeting you gave to me, and here I thought we were friends."

"Mousse... I'm sorry, the last time I saw you it was just, that was a bad time in my life ok? And, please, don't call me by that name anymore, I'm Nodoka here." She sighed and looked away and started walking again. "Look, if you aren't going to tell me, I'll just be getting back home."

"He's found a lead on a cure."

Again Nodoka froze. A cure, a way to go back to being who she was. Could there really be such a way, would she finally be able to live her life again?

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"I'm so glad you're smiling again Ra, er Nodoka." Ukyo giggled a bit as she held on to the other girl's arm. "I was worried that you'd still be depressed today since we still haven't found Akane."

Her face had lost it's smile, and some of the gloom had returned. "I'd almost forgotten that she's still missing."

"That's so unlike you, so, what brought on the smile anyways?"

"I got a message from my old man, he might have found a way to..." She stopped talking as she looked around. She'd already had too many people find her out, Ukyo was ok, but the way Ryouga had found out bothered her. She didn't need, or want anyone else to know who she really was. She had started a new life, and she was, in many ways happy again. When she was sure no one of importance could overhear, she whispered into Ukyo's ear. "He may have found a way to change me back." The redhead smiled again and continued walking.

Ukyo paused, and released her grip on the other girl's arm. "A-are you saying you want to go back?"

Nodoka stopped and slowly turned to look over her shoulder at Ukyo. "Of course I do, what kinda question is that?"

Ukyo looked away and let out a sigh, it was clear she was near the verge of tears. "I... I like you the way you are now Ranma! I don't want you to change."

Nodoka felt her heart clench slightly, she could see Ukyo's reaction, hear her words, but she felt like she'd just been stabbed in the back. "W-what do you mean by that Ukyo? I thought you'd be happy for me, I thought you'd want me back to being me again."

"You're an idiot Ranma. What happens if you do turn back? Don't you think that'll cause many more problems for everyone? Akane's already a mess because of you, and she doesn't even know it's you. Ryouga's at his wits ends trying to find her, and here you are thinking about yourself. Doesn't anyone else matter to you?"

Nodoka dropped to her knees, she'd suddenly felt very winded as Ukyo's words stabbed at her deeply. She hadn't thought about that. She was worried about Akane, she'd forgotten all about that for a moment in the news she'd recieved, and then that wasn't even positive news, she'd only heard of a potential lead. She sighed as reality bore down on her. "Y-you're right Ukyo."

When Nodoka looked up, she saw that she was alone, Ukyo had already left.

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"So, how long are you in Japan for Mousse?"

"I have to go back tomorrow, I only came here to find you and delivery your father's message." Mousse smiled a bit and offered his hand to Nodoka.

She stared at it for a moment and sighed. "Hey Mousse, if it's alright with you, can we talk for a little bit? I want you to take a message back to my old man for me."

"Yeah, Genma had a feeling you'd want to send him a message or something. He's amazing you know."

"Yeah, real amazing. Can you tell him to come home?" Nodoka sighed slightly as she sat down in a chair and laid her head against the wall of her family's living area.

"But what about the cure? When I last saw him, we were so close to finding one."

"I don't care about the cure anymore, it'd only cause more trouble." Nodoka sighed heavily as she buried her head further against the wall.

"Ranma..."

"I thought you of all people would be happy, especially considering..." She stood up slowly. "Just give him my message, please. His family wants him home."

"You and I both know he'll keep looking, he feels it's his fault you're like this." Mousse took a step towards Nodoka and reached to place a hand on her shoulder. He still remembered their first meeting, she had been a beauty to rival the star of his village, and he had immediately fallen for the girl. When he thought back on it, he realized he'd been an idiot. At least he knew the truth now, and had given up on winning the maiden's heart, he knew better now.

"I don't care if he suffers for it forever, tell him I'm happy, that this life isn't so bad, just tell him anything, I don't care. I don't want to find a cure, I don't need to find a cure. I'm already causing too many problems for everyone."

He still felt the attraction for her he'd always felt, and despite the truth, he had once been in love with the idea of the girl before him. Mousse paused a bit as his hand almost reached Nodoka's shoulder, and then he sighed and pulled his hand away. "He's not gonna be happy with that you know, but I'll give him your message."

"Thanks Mousse, would you please leave me now. I want to be alone."

"As you wish."

"And one last thing, tell Shampoo she's welcome to visit any time."

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Her resolve had been tested for several days now, it had been a week since Ryouga had found her out, a week since Akane disappeared, and hours since she'd realized just how much trouble she'd been for everyone. She'd made up her mind about several things. First, Ryouga could hate her forever, and it didn't matter. Akane was missing, and lonely, and someone needed to find her and bring her home.

Her resolve had brought her here, to the Tendo household. She had knocked on the door, and was now sitting quietly in the family dining area awaiting tea from the eldest daughter.

"It's so nice for one of Akane's friends to come by. We've all been so worried about her."

"Yeah, everyone at school is worried too. You haven't heard anything from her?" Nodoka looked up at the eldest Tendo daughter with a slight smile. She'd always liked Kasumi's gentle nature, she was the one with the best head on her shoulder's in that household, and the most calm in a crisis. Truthfully, the same could be argued about Nabiki, but she was more apathetic towards such matters, and instead seemed to not care that Akane was missing.

"Still, it's quite troublesome, that girl. We have no idea what happened to her, did she and Ryouga have a fight?" Kassumi frowned slightly looking at Nodoka across the table. "I do hope that's not the case, but nothing else seems to fit for her to run away like this."

"I don't know what it is Kassumi, but it has nothing to do with Ryouga, he's just as worried as everyone else. Hasn't he even been by here?"

"No, we haven't heard fgrom him since she went missing, that's why I'm so worried about those two. Oh well, Akane couldn't have gone too far away. We've been having food go missing, so she's probably been sneaking in at nights to eat." Kassumi sighed again, then smiled at Nodoka. "Anyways, it's been so nice to visit with you, please feel free to stop by again anytime."

"I will, thank you for the tea." Nodoka smiled slightly as she walked out of the Tendo household and into the yard. So Akane was somewhere nearby, that was a bit of a relief at least. She'd have hated to think Akane would run away too bar.

As she headed for the gate she paused and looked over her shoulder to her left. There sat the Tendo's family dojo. She'd spent many hours there in her youth, when she and Akane would practive thier martial arts together. It was a place of fond memories for her, and a place that seemed sadly deserted these days. She sighed to herself and headed towards the dojo, perhaps a bit of nostalgia would make her feel better.

The sign post on the dojo wall was in definent disrepair, a sign that the place had fallen on hard times, and a sign that the building was never really used anymore. Nodoka sighed, it was such a shame in her eyes. This had been a place of dreams for her, and now it was nothing more then a waste of land. She sighed again as she opened the door slowly and stepped inside.

The dojo was poorly lit, most of the blinds were closed and allowed little light inside. The floors were covered in dust, as were the walls, but there was something odd. The air wasn't as stale as she'd expected, and there were footprints. Then it hit her, Kassumi had mentioned that Akane must be close by because of the missing food. It made sense that there'd be footprints here, if Akane were here.

Nodoka had to think for a moment, to remember her training as a martial artist. Silently she moved across the floor, following the footprints. The footprints deadended into a closet. There were several sets of them in here, but these were the most recent. Nodoka smiled slightly and opened the closet door to see Akane sleeping peacefully on the floor, curled up in a ball. "Looks like I finally found you."


	11. Chapter 10: Eclipse of Time

Chapter 10

Eclipse of Time

Nodoka sighed as she looked back over her shoulder at the Tendo residence. She had found Akane, and was ready to wake her, and tell her to come out of hiding, but something had felt wrong. Sure, she was at fault, if Akane hadn't seen her with Ukyo... That was the point though, she was with Ukyo, and Akane was with Ryouga. Akane had no right to run away, to be jealous, and as such, Nodoka had no right to be the one to find her. All the same, she'd done what she had felt was best as she left the Tendo residence behind. Akane was a big girl, she could take care of herself, and Ryouga would find her eventually.

She looked up to the horizon, the sun was already low in the sky, and the moon was coming over the horizon signaling the fall of night. A small smile crept across Nodoka's lips, and she dropped to her knees as tears started to swell in her eyes. She couldn't explain it, but she wanted to laugh so much that it hurt, that it brought tears to her eyes. Only a few chuckles escaped her lips. She continued to laugh in the face of her tears for several minutes before she again looked at the sky, the smile still on her face.

She pushed up to her feet and started walking, there was a place she had to go, someone she had to see. Nothing else would matter, nothing else was important, she'd come to a conclusion, and there was only one person that she could discuss it with right now.

After several minutes of running, she found herself at her destination, and pushed open the door with a forceful determination. "You're on break Uk-chan." She stormed into the restaurant, grabbed the girl by the hand and dragged her upstairs to the living quarters. The girl's father who had been doing better nodded with slight frustration, then went back to the cooking, expertly taking over for his now absent daughter.

When they had reached the room of the chef's daughter, Ukyo broke the silence. "What's so important No-chan, that you'd drag me away from work?"

"Life is one giant joke." She raised her finger to Ukyo's lips to stop her from responding, then continued on, "I've decided, Ranma died in China. I'm not that person, I'll never be that person again, from this day forward I'm going to live my life completely as Nodoka." Again she raised her finger to stop Ukyo from responding before she again continued, "Ryouga and Akane deserve each other, and I won't be a shadow of a person who'd dead. If Akane wants to suffer for it, she's welcome to."

"Do you hear what you're saying? Isn't that a little harsh, especially for you?" Ukyo wouldn't be hushed anymore, she slipped that in before the other girl could even try to keep her quiet.

"I have to be like that." She sighed a bit and looked away from Ukyo. "Or else, I might change my mind."

"If that's what you think is right."

"It's what has to be, for all of our sakes." She took a deep breath then looked up into Ukyo's eyes. "Even you need to change Uk-chan. Ranma's dead, and you were in love with him, not me. You and I are friends, and I know you want more, but for that to happen, we have to start over. We can't rely on the past, the past is for the dead, and I want to live."

"I..." She paused for a moment, then looked away from Nodoka. It was true, she was in love with Ranma, not Nodoka, despite them being the same person. Even then, they weren't the same person, Ranma's personality had changed a bit from when they were kids, and for the first time since she'd met Nodoka, this person seemed mature beyond her years. The effect was obvious, that Nodoka had become someone else, that her very outlook on life was changing. "I understand, but I won't accept just being friends. You're too important to me for that."

"Then get to know me for who I am now, not the person I was."

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Akane stared at the note for several minutes. She'd read it several times already, and then several more times again just to be sure of it. She'd been found, but the person who found her had left her to her sleep, and it was obvious that person had told no one else she was here, or else they'd have barged in to take her back home. The thought made her smile a little. She wasn't ready to go yet, but she wasn't as depressed as before. Still, she was highly confused as she re-read the note one last time.

_I know you want to be left to yourself, but just so you know, everyone's really worried about you. I know you're upset, and I kinda think I know why. I didn't mean for you to see me and Ukyo together like that, but you have nothing to be jealous over. You have a wonderful fiance who'd do anything for you, and wonderful friends. Why let a little crush on someone you hardly know ruin your life? It does make me happy that you think so much of me that you'd run away and hide for days because you saw me with someone else, but it also hurts. Look, as far as I'm concerned, we're still friends, and I want you to come back so we can talk about it. And one more thing, don't tell Ryouga I found you, I think he'd be jealous._

_Your friend,  
Ichijin Nodoka_

_PS: You're awfully cute when you sleep._

She carefully folded the note then held it to her chest with a slight smile. She did feel better, and despite still being jealous, she felt she could face the world again. She gathered what belongings she had brought, and left the dojo to head back home. It was still late, no one would notice. She just hoped Kasumi would prepare enough food for her to eat in the morning when she surprised them all.

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The morning scene at the Tendo household had been an awkward one, like some sort of twisted Kodak moment. If it were to be described in the manners of a photograph, one would have to picture a zombie-like Akane sitting at the breakfast table, still half asleep, clung to by each member of her family. The reunion was tearful, at least for her eldest sister and father, and even Nabiki had seemed a bit relieved to see her back.

School itself was a different story. The moment Ryouga had seen her sitting at her desk, he dragged her from the classroom and to their usual meeting place. There he held her tightly for several minutes, just savoring her prescense again. The entire situation had made Akane feel a bit uncomfortable, but after a moment, she'd finally been released. She looked at Ryouga, a look of determination on her face, and then she spoke. "Ryouga... I.. I've done a lot of thinking, and I came to realize something."

"What is it Akane?"

"About us, that is to say, our relationship. I... I can't do this anymore Ryouga, I'm in love with someone else."

Ryouga's form went limp as he stared at his beloved for a moment, waiting for the words to come. For several seconds, he found himself at a loss. He had felt it coming from the moment she first spoke, but he didn't want to believe it. He knew the details, without them being spoken, and still he had to hear them for himself. "It's Nodoka, isn't it?"

"I.. I'm sorry Ryouga." She turned from him and ran back to the classroom.

Ryouga dropped to his knees, then slammed his fists into the ground as he broke down in tears. His worst fears had come true. "It's all your fault Ranma..."

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Nodoka sighed as she pushed the door to the school's roof open and stared at Akane. She knew that it had been her note that coaxed Akane to come back to school, and she was certain she knew what it was the girl had wanted to talk about. Still, why was her heart in her throat, why was she so nervous, and why did she want to run away?

Akane looked back at Nodoka, she too was nervous, and felt her heart racing, but contrary to the other girl, she knew why it was her heart felt this way. She'd realized only too late how she had felt, and that made it all the more difficult. "N-Nodoka?"

"What is it? What'd you call me out here for?"

"A-actually..." She fumbled for a moment, she couldn't say it, not now, not what was truly in her heart, it was too sudden. "Uh, th-thanks for the note, it meant a lot to me."

"A-anytime Akane, we're friends right? I'm just glad you came back to school."

Akane smiled then flung her arms around Nodoka to hug her closely, tightly, an embrace she had realized she had long desired. "There was one other thing." She took a deep breath, and mustered every ounce of courage she had. She let go of Nodoka, turned from her and took a few steps towards the edge of the roof. The sun was already hanging low in the sky, and the orange tint painted a perfectly romantic picture. Satisfied with the backdrop, she turned back to face Nodoka and spoke softly. "I... I love you Nodoka."


	12. Author's Note

Author's note:  
I know it's been several years since I've updated this story, but I want to let all of you know that it's not dead. Howeever, the current incarnation of this story has ended as it is, and for that I'm sorry. Within the next few weeks, I intend to begin a complete rewrite of this story. I've grown significantly as a writer since I first began this, and a few of my other projects, and that is part of the reason that I've been so inactive over the last several years. I fully intend to finish this story some day.

On that note, I've reworked some of the plot, and many of the relationships. Many of the current twists in the story will remain, though I want to make these relationships seem more real, despite the complexity they already show. When I first started this series, I had a complex plot in mind, but I was a bit under practiced in the execution of such a thing.

I've also been working on two other Ranma projects, one of which is just silly, and should not be taken seriously (Hole in the 4th Wall, which has a teaser chapter up at the moment) and then one that will be every bit as complex as I intend this story to be. So, till I get to work on those and this, keep waiting patiently. You will be rewarded

-Ranchan


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